Friday, October 23, 2009

An Unkind Friend

Don’t you hate when an unexpected guest arrives, showing up days earlier than you’ve anticipated.

Years ago, this one guest, whom I call my friend, visited twice monthly for three months straight. The nerve of her, showing up without ample notice, and then show up with an attitude. The reoccurring pain in the ass would visit four days at a time, never bearing gifts but always managed to bring along a bunch of headaches. At the mere sight of her, I'd catch an instant attitude and dare for somebody to come close to me.

She had been visiting since I was twelve years old, and I certainly thought I’d be used to her by now. Mom schooled me long ago about how to treat my friend whenever she came to town. Hmmph…what about the way she treats me? She completely wears me out, and has even sent me to the emergency room, a time or two. And I had the audacity to call her my friend.

And to this day, that feisty little visitor has an uncanny fascination of sorts. Let’s see, she idolizes Little Red Riding Hood so much that she wears nothing but the color red, and only on rare occasion, you’ll spot her in brown. And when she visits, she forces me to indulge in her favorite snacks; anything doused in salt and covered in chocolate. She’s sure to yell and scream if her demands aren’t met. Talk about being picky…

Sometimes I wonder about how I’ll feel when she stops visiting altogether. Would I miss her? It’s crazy because when my friend leaves, I actually anticipate her next visit. And when she takes too long to reappear, I start hyperventilating. “Dear Lord, where is she, please, please make her come back”.

How do you feel about your unexpected guest? For some, she is a blessing and others might not care whether she visits or not. As for me, I embrace the time we spend together, and she can drop by whenever she likes.

Does your friend still visit? Or has she decided not to pay you any more visits?